A guide to buying make up brushes

I was going to do a post on mascaras, but decided to postpone it in light of a recent development: I am now the proud owner of (almost) the entire line of Real Techniques brushes! (swoon)

What, why are you not jumping up and down with me? These are Real Techniques brushes. By Sam Chapman. Of. Pixiwoo. Fame. (pause for effect)

Okay, why do I get the feeling that I’m still not getting the reaction I hoped for? Umm Anj, maybe because not everyone is as crazy about make-up as you are? Fine. I’ll move on.

You see, I am of the firm belief that brushes are as important as the actual make-up products that you apply on your face. With the right kind of brushes, it’s easier for you to achieve seamless application and flawless blending. If you had to choose between spending on brushes or on actual products, I’d recommend that you spend on the former. Having said that, here are some tips to help you in selecting brushes.

Try before you buy. Go for brushes that feel soft and do not prick or scratch your skin. But don’t try it out on your face (brushes displayed aren’t exactly the cleanest); the back of your hand or the inside of your wrist/arm will do.

Ditch those miniscule applicators that usually come with make-up. You know, those sponge-tip applicators or blush brushes that are usually no more than two inches in length. If you’re really serious about learning to apply make-up well, investing in good-quality brushes is a must.

A more expensive brush will not necessarily work better. I learned this the hard way. I once bought an obscenely expensive eyeshadow brush from a reputable brand, only to find that it scratched my lids like you wouldn’t believe. I still use it, if only to get my money’s worth, but it’s made me think twice about buying more brushes from that brand.

Build your collection little by little. If you were to see my brush collection, you’d notice that I rarely have more than two or three brushes from one brand. My Real Techniques haul is the first time I’ve ever bought a lot of brushes from just one brand. This is because I like to hem and haw over each brush that I buy. I want to make sure that I’m really happy with the quality of the brush, and rarely will a single brand offer a line-up wherein each and every brush will satisfy my criteria. Hence my hodge-podge brush collection. My brushes don’t look as nice as those sleek brush sets but at least I know I’m happy with each and every brush that I own.

My brushes…bought from the US, shipped to Japan (it’s a long story, but a million thanks to my Tita Karen who helped me buy them). I can’t wait to try these out!

With proper care and cleaning (yes, you do have to clean them), your brushes should last you for years. Looking at it from this perspective, the initial outlay of money won’t seem as painful.

4 thoughts on “A guide to buying make up brushes”

i’m new to brushes…i usually use those that came from free make up bags…but they do work well…i think…is there a brand that u can recommend? or can u at least name the most basic brush i can buy…just to jump start my collection.

If you’re okay with brushes that you can get for free (one of life’s little pleasures), then good for you!!! Should you want to look into purchasing brushes for yourself, though, I’d suggest that you invest in a basic/fluff eyeshadow brush and a powder/blush brush. The Body Shop makes good brushes, and they’re comparatively reasonably priced, too. I’ll stick to that one recommendation, for now. I’ll try to write an all-recommendations post one of these days, so I can give readers a choice of brands 🙂

Anj, getting free brushes is life’s little pleasures indeed! If I can’t get brushes for free, I prefer purchasing make-up kits with brushes included already just like the Beauty Revolution kit I recently purchased at Kallony.